July is almost upon us – and we’ve got some exciting events planned for all of you! From children’s programs to guided hikes to many special events! There’s definitely something for everyone, and we hope to see you all out and exploring Rondeau real soon.
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Disappointed in my bid to add new warblers to my year list on a return to Rondeau Provincial Park, a cool day of birding in Kent County did however result in finding many other good species.
Caitlin Sparks, one of Rondeau’s Natural Heritage education specialists, confirmed warblers were generally a bit slow in arriving through April. “A contributing factor was the temperature. They’ll start to pour in now.”
While I hiked through the park, some birders even remarked on the slow development of apples and other plants.
There were good sightings of many birds that I expected to see such as hermit thrushes and Eastern towhees. There were also some new migrants moving in such as blue-grey gnatcatchers. Other seasonal sightings included a bluebird, brown thrasher, Sandhill cranes, and purple martins.
Any day of birding at Rondeau will have some nice surprises. A merlin perched in the sun on a dead tree. Other raptors in the park included a mature bald eagle and, of course, turkey vultures.
Maris Apse, who with Donald Pye led an Ontario Field Ornithologists’ field trip at Rondeau last weekend, was equally surprised about the warblers. “Even the total count of all birds was surprisingly low for the day.” Apse remarked to me.
Sparks and Emily Slavik, another of the park’s naturalists, are enthused about all of the daily programs that are running through to May 19 during the “Festival of Flight.” They range from the birder’s breakfast and lunch available every day at the Visitor Centre from 7 a.m. to the twice-daily hikes led by Reuven Martin.
If you have never tried bird watching and feel a bit daunted, you can join a Friday hike “for absolute beginners” led by Rondeau resident and great friend of the park, Ric McArthur.
All of the park staff have a tremendous, welcoming energy. “If you’ve never been to Rondeau, try us out,” Slavik said.
There is other good birding when you are in Kent County. You can check out the variety of waterfowl on Rondeau Bay or you can bird from the pier at Erieau. The Blenheim lagoons about 1 km. west of Blenheim are always fruitful.
This week at the Blenheim lagoons there were pectoral sandpipers, dunlin and other shorebirds, coots, many duck species, swallow species, plus good views of less common birds such as a horned grebe.
Regular entrance to Rondeau Provincial Park on Lake Erie is either $16 per day or by annual park pass. There is a small additional charge for some migration festival programs. For details, visit rondeauprovincialpark.ca or call the Visitor Centre at (519) 674-1768.
Access to the Blenheim lagoons is by permit only. To get a free permit call the Chatham-Kent municipal offices at (519) 676-5405.
Nature notes
An early morning Nature London-led hike through Westminster Ponds in south London will start at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. The public is welcomed. There is no cost. Go south from Commissioners Rd. on Western Counties Rd. then turn left at the “T” intersection and meet in the gravel parking area. Visit naturelondon.com for other details.
The18th annual Optics Expo and sale will be hosted by Pelee Wings Nature Store just north of Point Pelee National Park May 10-11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. It is an excellent chance to try binoculars and scopes from a dozen manufacturers. The store’s feeders also attract tremendous birds.
Enviro-Friends of Coldstream have planned a morning of nature hikes and a pancake breakfast Sunday at Coldstream Conservation Area off Marsh Lane. A bird hike is set for
8 a.m. and a wildflower hike is set for 10 a.m. Call (519) 666-0461 for more information.
Larkwire is a birdsong app that is useful and fun. Because it is interactive and customizable, you can focus on the songs of a particular set of species rather than listening to an entire uneditable collection of calls on CDs or checking one song at a time on a bird identification app or website. See larkwire.com
Paul Nicholson can be reached at g.paul.nicholson@gmail.com
Twitter @NicholsonNature
Full Article can be found here: http://www.lfpress.com/2014/04/30/the-world-outdoors-rondeau-offers-sweet-surprises
Our Festival of Flight is almost under way, check our the events we have to offer for one of our favourite months!
Thanks to a generous donation from a long time friend of the park, we were able to redesign our bird garden pond! This important water feature has gone through a few changes over the past few years (mainly due to a mischievous muskrat) but now we have settled on a design that we think will please both visitors and birds alike. Birds are attra
cted to the sound of running water, and we hope to draw some interesting species into our garden for your viewing pleasure.
So stop by the Visitor Centre (Open every Thursday – Sunday in April from 10-4) and relax by our birding window and enjoy the show!
We hope to see you soon
We have exciting news! After a long process, Rondeau Provincial Park is happy to announce the hiring of Caitlin Sparks as the Park Interpreter. As many of you know, Caitlin has been with us for 4 years now and has filled a variety of roles.
Caitlin started off at the Rondeau Visitor Centre as a hard working summer student where she developed and delivered an abundance of excellent educational programs. As a graduate from Laurier/Nipissing’s Concurrent Education program she brings a plethora of knowledge on teaching and developing educational and interactive lessons for all ages. Caitlin brings a positive attitude and a great working knowledge of the park.
We are pleased the Caitlin will be with us for the long term in this role and wish her success in her new endeavour!
Although this past weekend was a little chilly, the winter weather didn’t stop the hundreds of people from enjoying a day in Rondeau Park. As always the Ontario Falconry Centre put on an amazing show and the Rondeau Bay Waterfowler’s helped many excited children build their own birdhouses.
Thank you to everyone who braved the cold and helped make our festival a success. Thanks to the many volunteers and sponsors who took the time out of their busy schedules to help out!
The Visitor Centre is closed for the remainder of March but will reopen in every Thursday through Sunday in April from 10:00am – 4:00pm. Hope to see you all soon!
Due to the winter storm, the Visitor Centre will be closed Wednesday, March 12. The guided hike at 1:00pm will be cancelled. We will re-open Thursday March 13 from 10:00am – 4:00pm.
Sorry for any inconvenience – stay warm and safe!
VC Staff
The March Break is upon us, and there are lots of events planned for you and your family this week at the Rondeau Visitor Centre:
Wednesday March 12 – Guided Hike “Mass Movements” 1:00pm at the Tulip Tree Trail
Thursday March 13 – Indoor Program “Bird-feeding for Beginners” 1:00pm at the Visitor Centre
Friday March 14 – Make a Suet Feeder 11:00am – 3:00pm at the maintenance compound
Saturday March 15 – “Build a Birdhouse” and BBQ lunch – All day (while supplies last)
Sunday March 16 – Live Bird of Prey Show with the Ontario Falconry Centre 1:00pm at the Visitor Centre and BBQ lunch
Stop by the Visitor Centre each day for crafts, a scavenger hike along the trail, hot beverages and to browse around the Carolinian Corner book and gift store. Visitor Centre open from 10:00am to 4:00pm March 8th – 16th.
It was a sad day when park staff discovered that the government pier extending into Rondeau Bay had been severely damaged by ice this winter. This pier has been enjoyed by many generations of park visitors for fishing, swimming or simply enjoying the beautiful sunsets on Rondeau Bay. The government pier will remain closed while the park looks into options. (Official public notice below)
January 15, 2014
Public Notice to Patrons of Rondeau Provincial Park
THE PIER (BOARDWALK) IS CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
Rondeau Provincial Park has closed the park pier (boardwalk) located west of the park store. The pier has suffered ice damage and is closed to the public.
